Improvement in sewing-machines



4 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

Patented AugpIs, 1861.

Invent-07':

G. F. CASE.

Sewing Machine.

N. PETERSA Phwumogmphr, washing ma G., F. CASE. 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s Sewing Machine. N0. 33,029. Patented Aug. 13. 1861.

elli- Witnesses. Inventor: I

N. PETERS. Fho|u-Lihogr=phen washington, D. C,

Patented Aug. 13, 1861.

Inventor:

' 4 SheetSS'heet 1l G. F. CASE.

Sewingl Machine.

Patented Aug. 13, 1861.

Witnesses:

N. PETERS Phanunhngnplmr, wasnggnm D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT GEO. F. OASE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.'

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 33,029., dated August 13, 1861.

To all twhom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE F. CASE, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Machine for Working Button-Holes, the construction and operationof which l have described in the following specilication and illustrated in its accompanying drawings with sufficient clearness to enable competent and skillful workmen in the arts to which it pertains or is most nearly allied to make and use my invention.

Figure 1 is alongitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a plan or top View with the plate removed. Fig. 3 is a top view of plate. Fig. 4 is a view of the under side of plate. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of foot or holder. Figs. 6, 7, S, 9 show the different positions of the pieces in forming the stitch.

A is the main body of the machine.

a is the needle-bar.

b is the connecting-rod.

c is the pin, that is fastened to and projects from the connecting-rod and enters the slot marked m of the cam-wheel, marked d.

c is a semi-rotatin g standard or 'feed device, from which there is a projection, (marked 3,) which is held in contact with and enters the indentation marked n on the side of the camwheel d by the spiral spring marked t', which also presses upward, lifting the standard, so that the broad portion or ratchet-face presses against the under side of the cloth.

fis a hooked finger or looper, which is attached to the shaft marked le, which has aprojection marked t. This projection presses against the face of the cam-wheel d and enters the slot marked o, and is held in contact with the wheel d by the spring marked h, which is connected to the shaft by a cord.

g is a forked finger or threader. The shaft cfg is made is the form of a crank, the wrist of which is held in contact withy the side of the cam wheel d and enters the iudentations markedp, and is held in contact with the side of 'the wheel d by means of the spring marked h.

I is a stationary piece, that passes through the button-hole to hold that portion of the hole being worked rmly o n the plate.

fis a spiral spring, that holds the projection s firmly against the cam-wheel, and which spiral spring also presses upward to hold the head of the standard against the cloth.

h 7L are springs connected tofand g by means of a cord or chain; or a link might be used to connect, which holds their projections against the cam-wheel d.

lc k are center pins upon which the camwheel d rotates.

r is a spiral spring, which holds the rod b close to the wheel, being wound around the shaft of the/wheel.

m is a slot in the cam wheel, into which the pin c enters.

a is the indentationv upon the side of the wheel, which operates the feed e.

o is the indentation on the face of the wheel, to operate the piece j'.

p is the indentation upon the edge 0i' the wheel, to operate the piece g. The cam-wheel d also has a projection, (marked 0,) for the purpose as hereinafter explained.

a is a nut having a right-and-left-hand thread, into which the rod b screws, so that by turning the nut the rod can be lengthened or shortened.

l is a piece having an incline toward the point which terminates near the hole in the plate through which the needle passes.

The nature ofmy invention consists of an improved form of that class of sewing-machines for working button-holes, but may be advantageously used in working along the edge of cloth, forming a rib similar to that formed on the edge of a button-hole, thus dispensing with a cord as now used.

'lhe description of my machineis as follows:

A is the main body ofthe machine, so formed as to connect the dii'erent parts of the machine together, and so as to be attached to a stand by screw at a' rv, as shown.

a is the needle-bar, to the upper end of which the needle is attached by placing it in the hole in the end, and is secured by the binding-screw z.. The bar vibrates upon the pin l,below which the connecting-rod b is attached at 2. The rod is formed of two pieces and connected together by a nut, having a right and-left-hand screw, so that by turning the nut the rod is lengthcned or shortened, as may be desired. The end of the rod b has a slot, that the shaft of the wheel d passes through. This acts as guide to the rod. At the inner end of the slot a pin, c,

projects, which enters the eccentric slot m in the side of the wheel d. The perpendicular standard c has a partial rotation by means of the projection s, which presses against the side ofthe wheel d. This projection is held in contact with the wheel by a spiral spring. z', This also presses upward, lifting the standard. The top or head ofthe standard is made into ratchets, which press against the under side of the clot-h.

The hooked finger or looperfhas a semi-rotation of the shaft upon two pins, that enter the end of the shaft. (See Fig. 2.) The depth of the hole ein the ends ofthe shaft being greater than the length of the pins, it allows the shaft to have a lateral motion, which is produced by the projection t entering the shallow portion of the slot o, it being at an angl-e with the face ofthe wheel d. As the latter revolves it carries the shaft laterally, so that the hook will avoid j. The notched linger or threader g has a partial lrotation upon its center, the lower portion f the shaft being in the form of a crank, the wrist of which presses against the side of the wheel d, which has a recess or indentation, (marked p) which allowsit to revolve, so that the upper or curved portion passes around the opposite side oftheneedlefrom its center. The

-rest is held in contact with the wheel by the spring h', connected to it by a cord, the cord passing around that portionvot' the linger that embraces the shaft, and lying in a groove on its edge. The stationary pieceJpasses through the button-hole to hold the cloth down upon the plate. A portion ofthe under surface ofthe broad portion has a ratchet-face to correspond with the head of the standard e, being directly over it, (see Fig. 5,) and the cloth is held between them. The piece is firmly fastened to the plate that covers the workingv portion of the machine around the wheel, there being an opening inthe plate for the standard z and the looper fto pass through. There is a piece marked l secured to the underside ot` the plate, the end terminating close to the opening through which the needle passes. The piece l has an incline near the point, across -which lthe thread is drawn by the linger g,- but the point is placed upon the opposite side of the needle from the end of the linger g to the positionshown in Fig. 7. The cam-wheel being on a short shaft and rotated between two center pins, 7c t', these pins being slightly wedging as they pass through the frame A, which holds them in their position, these pins might be made to screw into the frame, and by which means the wheel could be readily adjusted and held in its position.

Having described the difI'erent parts of inymachine, the operation is'as follows: The camwheel rotates in the direction of the arrow by a band running in the groove on the projecting portion of its side, or by any other means, the pin c projecting from the connecting-rod b into the eccentric groove in the wheel d. As the wheel rotates the pins slide around in the groove. This gives the bar a vibratory Inotion. As the other end is connected to ythe needle-bar, that also has a vibratory motion, carrying the needle. The wheel d also causes the standard or feed c, the looper f, and the threader g to vibrate by the grooves or indentations on its edge, as shown. The button hole is rst prepared for the machine by being bound around with one or more rows of thread, which is left long enough to work the hole, the thread coming out at the end of the hole and upon the right side of the cloth. The standard e is then pressed down andthe stationary piece J is passed through the hole, the thread.

coming up at tlie point where the needle would enter the cloth. The thread Ais then placed in the hook of the needle as the latter is in the act of rising. The hook f passes through the hole above the cloth, catching the thread and holding it, as shown in Fig. 6, until the return of the needle after the point had entered the cloth. The hook f recedes through the button-hole, carrying the thread holding it, as shown in Fig. 7 by the the red lines. The notched finger g then catches the thread and carries it across the piece Z, which is so inclined that the thread slips to the point, (see Fig. 9,) so that the piece Z and g holds the thread partially around the needle above the hook, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. As the needle rises the thread passes into the hook of the needle, which draws it through the cloth, thus completing the stitch. The `hook then rises through the hole, catching the thread, as in Fig. 8, and holding it, as before, until the return of the needlebefore the latter reaches the cloth. The hook has a lateral motion to allow the needle to pass down in' the place that it covered, the needle passing between the hook and the last stitch formed, thus making a loop around the needle. (See Fig. 6.) As the needle rises the standard c rotates, bringing the ratchet-face near the needle, and as the latter descends the ratchet rotates from the needle, moving the cloth, the vibration of the standard being onlyT sufficient to allow the 'ratchets to move over one stitch at a time, so

that the size ofthe thread will govern the distance the cloth is moved.

I ain aware that machines have been invented for the same purpose as this, but owing to their imperfections and complication have been but little used. l am also aware that machines having the same form and motion of needle-bar have been used, as in the Robinson & Roper machine; but these I do not claim; neither do I claim any particular form 2. The combination of the finger or looper of needle. I tfilso disclaim the linger or hook f, the forked nger g, and the incline piece l, if and the forked' finger g separately; but constructed and operated substantially as What I do claim, and desire to secure by shown7 and for the purpose specified. Letters Patent, is

1. The semi-rotating feed e, pressing against the under side of the cloth close tothe edge of the bnttoirhole, constructed and operated substantially as described and shown.

GEORGE FRANKLIN CASE.

Witnesses:

J. B. NoNEs, W. R. RONALDS. 

